“Too small…too short…can’t play…can’t survive…can’t make it in the NFL.” Who were the so-called experts talking about? It was Buffalo Bills quarterback, Doug Flute. He was too small in the estimation of many NFL scouts. Yet, in the Canadian Football League, Doug Flute is considered to be the best player in CFL history, winner of six Most Outstanding Player awards in eight years, quarterback of three Gray Cup champions, holder of most of the league’s passing records (41,355 career passing yards and 270 passing touchdowns).

When David wrote this instructive psalm, he was in trouble. He was likely cowering in a hole dug deeply into a hill, hiding from enemies pursuing him. He was lonely, desperate, and in need of help. As he hid from his adversaries, he felt out of control and uncertain of the future. So David implored the Lord for guidance, acknowledging in this time of distress that his trust and confidence had to come from God.

Athletics are full of emotion. Excitement, enthusiasm, disappointment, happiness and joy are all part of the competitive experience. Paul reminded Christians at Philippi to rejoice in the Lord, and the message is the same for us today. But we live in a difficult world with real battles. As John 10:10 tells us, “A thief comes only to steal and to kill and to destroy.” What is the thief after? Not anything that can be seen in the physical—no, he wants to steal the joy in our hearts.

In sports we put our bodies through the wringer. We study game film, review game plans, and tax ourselves mentally. All of it is done so that on game day, we are prepared to win. To achieve victory, we battle our way over virtual mountains, following our dreams—to get to the pot of gold.

Do we follow the same routine in our faith? We rigidly “train” by reading our Bibles, praying, witnessing, and attending church. We compete in “games” when we face setbacks, difficulties, and temptations. And we often do it with a militant attitude of struggling to get to the final pot of gold—heaven.

We live in a performance-driven, presentation-focused, and public-image world. In the sporting world, much emphasis is put on game time. “How do I look?” and “How will I perform?” are questions in the forefront of our minds. We are thinking, lights, camera, action! In athletics, this drive is magnified. We are drawn more to the presentation than we are to the preparation. The reality is that what we do in private affects what we do in public.

When the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens are getting ready to go into battle, the sound system blasts music and the giant screens exhort the team to “Protect this House.” This same scene is replayed week after week in stadiums all around the league. In the history of sports, there has never been a team that has liked losing on their home field. That is why most homecoming games are scheduled against competition that the home team should easily defeat.

God refers to our bodies as His house. Because we are believers, the Holy Spirit actually lives inside of us. And because God lives within us, He expects us to protect His house! This is a high standard, especially since we live in a culture that promotes winning above all else.